Does Epsom salts mixed with soil help tomato plants?
J.R., Dallas Yes, if the soil is deficient in magnesium and sulfur. Many soils are. If tomato production is not as good as you’d like, mix 1 ounce of Epsom salts per gallon of water to fertilize the plants. Sul-po-mag is a naturally occurring mixture of sulfur, potassium and magnesium that provides those nutrients. Many companies sell it. I live on a farm near a creek. Dirt daubers are everywhere: in the well house, in the shop and in the garage. They build mud nests in equipment, motors, tool boxes, etc. Short of building a vault around these buildings, how can I safely discourage the dirt daubers? We know they are harmless and probably environmentally beneficial, but what pests! S.R., Clifton Dirt dauber (often called mud dauber) is a common name given to several varieties of beneficial wasps. One of their favorite foods is black widow spiders. Some people believe that nest building can be discouraged by painting roof overhangs, ceilings and even walls light blue. You can read about
